Mallorca
Covers 18 European islands, from Crete and the Cyclades to Sicily, Sardinia, Mallorca, the Canaries, Madeira and the Azores, with euro prices converted to dollars on a dated rate.
UpdatedThis page carries dated prices, schedules or seasonal facts checked on the date above, and that window has now passed. Re-check the sources at the foot of the page before you book.
Mallorca is three trips in one island. Palma is a real city with a Gothic cathedral, tapas bars and an old town you can walk. The Serra de Tramuntana on the northwest coast is a UNESCO-listed mountain range of stone villages like Deià, Valldemossa and Sóller. The bays of Alcúdia and Pollença in the north, and the coves of the southeast, are where you swim.
It is also busy. Mallorca received 13,557,606 tourists in 2025, according to the Balearic statistics office IBESTAT, more than the other Balearic Islands combined. Pick your base and your month with that in mind. The prices are better than the reputation: on Kayak the cheapest 3-star-or-better double in Palma was $68 on January 13, 2027 and $135 on July 14, 2027, taxes and fees in.
At a glance
- Best for
- Families and couples who want a beach week with a real city, mountain villages and day trips attached
- Skip it if
- You want empty beaches in July and August, or warm-water swimming from November to April
- Getting there
- Palma airport (PMI). United flies Newark nonstop in season; otherwise connect in Madrid, Barcelona or another European hub
- Hotel, mid-January
- $68 a night, the cheapest 3-star-plus double on Kayak in Palma for January 13, 2027, taxes in
- Hotel, mid-July
- $135 a night for the same search on July 14, 2027
- Island size
- 1,398 square miles (3,620 km²), the largest of the Balearic Islands
In this guide
How Mallorca scores
Six factors, scored 0 to 10 the same way for all 64 islands. How we score
- WeatherData · 20%8.2
- Beaches & seaEditors · 25%8.0
- Things to doEditors · 25%9.0
- Getting there from the USData · 10%5.4
- ValueData · 10%7.9
- Room to breatheData · 10%3.8
Weather month by month
Best months by our weather score: July, August, September. Daytime highs, rain and sunshine are 2016–2025 averages at Palma de Mallorca Airport (Open-Meteo historical weather archive); sea temperatures are 2022–2025 averages for the nearest sea area (Open-Meteo marine archive).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 59 | 61 | 63 | 68 | 74 | 83 | 89 | 89 | 82 | 75 | 66 | 62 |
| Sea °F | 60 | 59 | 60 | 63 | 68 | 75 | 81 | 83 | 80 | 75 | 68 | 63 |
| Rain (in) | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 1.3 |
| Weather score | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 6.8 | 9.4 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 7.8 | 4.5 | 3.9 |
The numbers behind the score
- Gateway airport
- Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI)
- US nonstops
- EWR
- Distance
- 6,121 mi from Los Angeles, 3,908 mi from New York
- Passport
- Needed for US citizens
- Hotel, one night
- $68 on Jan 13, 2027 · $135 on Jul 14, 2027 (Palma (city and Playa de Palma))
- Visitors a year
- 13,557,606 overnight visitors (2025)
- Bringing a dog
- Easy: No quarantine: ISO microchip before the rabies shot, wait 21 days after a first rabies vaccination, and an EU health certificate from a USDA-accredited vet endorsed by USDA APHIS within 10 days of arrival (new EU certificate forms from October 1, 2026).
Hotel prices: Cheapest 3-star-or-better double, 1 night, 2 adults, Kayak 'Nightly total, including all taxes + fees' view, checked 2026-10-20. January: tent Capi Playa (3 stars, Playa de Palma). July: Cabot Playa Grande, adults only (3 stars, Playa de Palma). Cheaper results in Calvia/Magaluf and S'Arenal were outside the named area.. Visitor figures: IBESTAT (Institut d'Estadistica de les Illes Balears) with INE, FRONTUR, December 2025 note with 2025 annual data.
Where Mallorca ranks
Who Mallorca is for, and who should skip it
Mallorca suits families who want shallow sand and easy driving, couples who want mountain villages and long dinners, and anyone on a first trip to the Mediterranean who wants more than a resort. You can mix a beach morning with a Palma afternoon, which few islands allow.
Skip it if your idea of an island is a quiet one in high summer. The big bays are lined with hotels, and the famous coves fill early. If nightlife is the point, Ibiza is the specialist. If you want bigger, emptier beaches and do not mind driving, look at Sardinia. For the full comparison, see our Mediterranean island ranking.
Where to stay: Palma, the north or the mountains
- Palma and Playa de Palma. The cheapest base and the only one where you do not need a car. Our two price checks both landed here: $68 at tent Capi Playa (3 stars, Playa de Palma) for January 13, 2027 and $135 at Cabot Playa Grande, an adults-only 3-star in Playa de Palma, for July 14, 2027. Both are Kayak nightly totals with taxes and fees.
- Alcúdia and Port de Pollença. The family base. Long, shallow, sandy bays and resort hotels with pools. You will want a car for the mountains.
- Sóller, Deià and Valldemossa. The Tramuntana villages. Smaller hotels, stone houses and hiking from the door. Beaches here are rocky coves, not sand.
- The southeast (Cala d'Or, Cala Figuera, Santanyí). Closest to the famous coves and Es Trenc. Quieter in shoulder season.
Our January search showed plenty of open hotels around Palma, but many resorts in the north and east close for winter. Check the specific hotel before you plan a January beach base.
Beaches: which are sandy, shallow or crowded
Mallorca has very good beaches with real caveats: crowds in summer, a drive to the best ones, and rocky entries in the coves.
- Playa de Muro and Alcúdia bay (north): miles of fine sand and shallow, calm water. The easiest choice for small children.
- Es Trenc (south): a long natural beach backed by dunes, with no hotels on the sand. Pale water and little shade.
- Caló des Moro and Cala Llombards (southeast): small coves with turquoise water between cliffs. Beautiful, tiny, and full by mid-morning in July.
- Cala Agulla and Cala Mesquida (northeast): sandy bays near Cala Ratjada, more room than the southeast coves.
- Formentor (north): a pine-shaded strip at the end of the Formentor peninsula road, calm water, very popular.
The Tramuntana coast is pebbles and rock: Sa Calobra and Port de Sóller are worth seeing, but they are not where you build a beach day.
Things to do beyond the beach
This is where Mallorca beats most islands. A week is easy to fill:
- Palma Cathedral (La Seu), the Gothic cathedral on the waterfront. The cathedral lists tourist visits Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. from April to October, Saturdays until 2:15 p.m., closed Sundays.
- The Sóller train. The wooden electric train from Palma through the mountains to Sóller, with a tram on to the port. The official round-trip train and tram ticket is $44.90 (€40), or $35.92 (€32) on online-only offer times.
- Hiking the Serra de Tramuntana. Village-to-village paths between Valldemossa, Deià and Sóller.
- Cap de Formentor, the cliff road to the lighthouse at the island's northern tip.
- Caves on the east coast such as the Coves del Drach near Porto Cristo, and boat trips along the southeast coves.
- Cycling. The Tramuntana climbs and flat central plain draw road cyclists in spring and fall.
When to go
June and September are the sweet spot: sea warm enough to swim, long days, and fewer people than July and August. May and October are good for hiking and cycling with cooler sea. Winter is mild and quiet, good for Palma and the mountains, but not a swimming season; the 12-month table on this page shows the numbers.
There is no hurricane season. The Mediterranean does get rare tropical-like cyclones, called medicanes, which are most common from September to January; Medicane Blas struck the Balearics repeatedly in November 2021. Autumn also brings occasional heavy downpours. For storm-season comparisons with the Caribbean, see our hurricane and cyclone seasons guide.
Getting there from the US
Mallorca's airport is Palma (PMI). United flies nonstop from Newark on a seasonal Boeing 767. The 2026 season ran four flights a week. For 2027, the Majorca Daily Bulletin reports the route starts on March 28, 2027 with three weekly flights and goes daily from May 26 into October. No other US airline is listed at Palma. From the rest of the US, connect in Madrid, Barcelona or a northern European hub.
US citizens need a passport valid for at least 3 months beyond your departure from the Schengen area, with one blank page per entry and exit; no visa for stays under 90 days. The EU's Entry/Exit System has registered fingerprints and a photo at the border since it became fully operational on April 10, 2026. ETIAS, the EU travel authorization, is not yet in operation; the European Commission says it will announce the start date several months ahead. Our passport rules guide has the details.
What a trip costs, including the island tax
Hotels: the two nights we priced were $68 (January 13, 2027) and $135 (July 14, 2027) in the Palma area, the cheapest 3-star-or-better doubles on Kayak.
On top of that, every guest 16 or older pays the Balearic sustainable tourism tax (ecotasa) per night, at the hotel. Under Law 2/2016 the rates are:
| Where you stay | May–October, per night | November–April (75% off) |
|---|---|---|
| 5-star and 4-star superior hotels | $4.49 (€4) | $1.12 (€1) |
| 4-star and 3-star superior hotels | $3.37 (€3) | $0.84 (€0.75) |
| 1- to 3-star hotels, holiday rentals, cruise ships | $2.25 (€2) | $0.56 (€0.50) |
| Hostels, guesthouses, campsites | $1.12 (€1) | $0.28 (€0.25) |
From the ninth night in the same place the tax is halved. A planned summer increase for 2026 did not pass, so these rates still applied as of August 2026. A couple in a 4-star hotel for seven July nights pays about $47 (€42) in tax. Kayak's totals include estimated local taxes, but confirm with the hotel.
Tickets and tours you can book
Palma de Mallorca: 5-Hour Catamaran Cruise with Lunch & Swim
Buffet, wine, sangria and soft drinks are included; snorkel gear needs a 10 EUR refundable deposit. Big boats, so it feels like a party cruise in summer.
Rating as shown on GetYourGuide
Mallorca: Kayaking, Sea Cave, Cliff Jumping & Snorkel Tour
Kit, GoPro photos and a picnic are included; pickup covers only the north (Pollenca, Alcudia, Playa de Muro, Can Picafort).
Rating as shown on Viator
Mallorca Full Day Tour Valldemossa Deià and Sóller Experience
The page mentions a tram ticket (about 10 EUR) without saying whether it is included, so ask; lunch is not listed.
Rating as shown on Viator
Booking through these links supports this site at no cost to you. Prices move by date, so we do not print them here; the official prices we checked are in the page above.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a direct flight from the US to Mallorca?
Yes, in season. United flies Newark to Palma nonstop. For 2027 the route is reported to start March 28 with three weekly flights and go daily from May 26 into October. From other US cities you connect in Europe.
How much is the tourist tax in Mallorca?
From $1.12 to $4.49 (€1 to €4) per person per night from May to October, depending on the hotel category, and 75% less from November to April. Under-16s are exempt, and the rate halves from the ninth night.
Do you need a car in Mallorca?
Not if you stay in Palma and use the Sóller train and buses. For the north coast bays, the Tramuntana villages and the southeast coves, a car makes the trip much easier.
Is Mallorca or Ibiza better?
Mallorca is better for families, hiking and a city break with beaches. Ibiza is smaller, more expensive in summer and built around nightlife and sunset bars, with a quiet north. See our Ibiza page.
When is the best time to visit Mallorca?
June and September for swimming without the August crowds. April, May and October for hiking and cycling. Winter is quiet and cheap, good for Palma but not for the beach.
Further reading
Official sources
- IBESTAT, Flux de Turistes (FRONTUR), December 2025 note – 13,557,606 tourists with Mallorca as main destination in 2025 (provisional, national and international, excludes day visitors); checked October 20, 2026
- Law 2/2016 on the Balearic tourist stay tax, consolidated text (Spanish Ministry of Finance) – Rates by category, 75% low-season discount November 1 to April 30, 50% off from the ninth night, under-16 exemption; checked October 20, 2026
- Majorca Daily Bulletin, tourist tax revenue first half of 2026 – Planned 2026 increase not approved; top summer rate unchanged; checked October 20, 2026
- Majorca Daily Bulletin, United New York-Palma 2027 – 2027 season from March 28 (3 weekly), daily from May 26 to October; 4 weekly in 2026; checked October 20, 2026
- Wikipedia, Palma de Mallorca Airport, airlines and destinations – United seasonal Newark is the only US route listed; checked October 20, 2026
- European Commission, ETIAS and Entry/Exit System pages – ETIAS not in operation, start date to be announced months ahead, fee to be $22.45 (€20); EES fully operational April 10, 2026; checked October 20, 2026
- US Department of State, Spain country information – Passport valid 3 months beyond departure, 1 blank page per entry and exit, no visa under 90 days; checked October 20, 2026
- Ferrocarril de Sóller, train tickets – Palma-Port de Sóller-Palma train and tram round trip $44.90 (€40), online offer $35.92 (€32); rate $1.1225 per euro, ECB reference rate of October 19, 2026; checked October 20, 2026
- Catedral de Mallorca, opening hours – Tourist visit hours by season; checked October 20, 2026
- Kayak hotel search, Palma de Mallorca – Cheapest 3-star-plus doubles, nightly total with taxes and fees: $68 (January 13, 2027) and $135 (July 14, 2027); checked October 20, 2026
- Wikipedia, Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone – Medicane seasonality (September to January peak) and Medicane Blas over the Balearics in November 2021; checked October 20, 2026
